The Fire Next Time
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

The Fire Next Time

The Fire Next Time consists of two essays by Baldwin, the first being fairly short and the second being much longer. I felt like his first essay to his nephew was easier to understand. The second essay was much longer and feels like Baldwin is writing a lengthy journal entry as a thought experiment.

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Failing Up
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

Failing Up

This book was an absolute breeze to read. It's really short and sweet, and if you are a big fan of Hamilton (which I assume most readers are), Leslie Odom Jr. will dedicate 2 chapters to recounting his Hamilton experience.

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The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler is a really sweet (and surprisingly funny) book about a semi-well-adjusted middle-aged mom who goes on a short adventure of self-discovery. While the main character, Amy, is often times filled with self-doubt and haunted by a troubled past, she is surrounded by people who all love her to pieces and would do anything for her.

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The Gifted School
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

The Gifted School

I didn't expect to like this book so much, but something about this story and its characters really resonated with me. The Gifted School is a book that deals with the modern day anxieties of parents wanting their kids to go to the best schools and be recognized for their high IQs and "genius."

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Everything I Never Told You
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

Everything I Never Told You

Everything I Never Told You is a book by Celeste Ng, who also wrote the bestselling book, Little Fires Everywhere. I liked the characters in Everything I Never Told You, and thought that the book was engaging.

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Homegoing
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

Homegoing

Homecoming is a gorgeously written and heartwarming novel about family and a love that transcends generations. The setting of the story starts in Africa during a period where colonialism is just beginning to thrive and change the landscape of the country.

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Queenie
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

Queenie

Queenie is a young adult fiction novel by Candice Carty-Williams that mostly felt like a lot of words and no deep meaning. It tells a story of a young woman in her mid-20s in modern-day UK, and it is about her dealing with millennial traumas - a bad break-up, terrible online dating, etc.

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Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan
Books Dorene Zhou Books Dorene Zhou

Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan

Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan is a book written by Jake Adelstein, in which he recounts his experiences as an investigative journalist in one of the biggest newspaper companies in Japan, the Yomiuri Shinbun. I really liked the exposition of this book and getting a first-hand look into Adelstein’s experiences as a rookie reporter.

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